Tilted Arc
by Kuramasgirl1976
Summary: Kurama may have a human body, but his kitsune soul is alive and well. When mating season arrives and the fox in him starts taking over, making the urge to breed irresistable, Hiei must find a way to end his lover's torment! Kurama x Hiei yaoi! Please R
1. Chapter 1

This is a story of Kurama and Hiei... Yami and I DO NOT own YYH..if we did well Kurama and Hiei would be a definite Yaoi couple....R&R pls...Ja-ne!! 

_(Co-Written by Candid Ishida)_

**Tilted Arc**

_Rei's POV-_

This tale starts at Meiou High where the lovely Suuichi is well liked but has very little friends except three other boys he always seems to be with. Two are hoodlums from Sarayashki Jr. High and the other... Well he's a strange one. My sister Yami and I attend school here at Meiou with everyone's favorite student Suuichi, who we soon discovered has a side that's rarely seen by anyone. 

It was late January and Shiori, Suuichi's mother, and our classmates have noticed him acting funny and only that strange dark haired boy he's always with seems knows why. The teachers were noticing that their usual top student was falling behind in his schoolwork and wasn't paying attention. 

It was Friday afternoon and I was walking home with Yami when I heard something crying near a trash can. I stopped but Yami kept walking. Probably wrapped up in a daydream about Suuichi. I walked over to the trash can and saw a little white fox not more than a couple of months old. I noticed it had a cut on it's front right paw. I set my bag down and moved the trash can aside. "Hey there little one, I'm not going to hurt you" I said as I let it smell my hand. It licked me and I picked it up along with 

my bag and ran to catch up with Yami, who still hadn't noticed I was gone. 

_Kurama's POV-_

I was sitting in class looking out the window not really paying any attention to what the teacher had to say and trying to figure out what was going on with me. 

"Mr. Minamino? MR. MINAMINO?!" screamed the teacher. I snapped back to reality and looked at the teacher. 

"Gomen, Miss Kamiya" I apologized to her. 

"What is the matter with you? You're barely paying attention today. Are you feeling all right Mr. Minamino?" she asked me. 

"No, not really" I said. 

"Go to the nurse then, I will write you a pass to go" she said she started to write a pass out. 

"The nurse won't be able to help me ma'am. It's a different kind of illness" I told her. 

"Well what is it then?" she demanded. 

"I'm not sure, but I am willing to guess it won't get better as of yet" I told her. "I need to talk to Hiei" I thought to myself. 

The bell rang letting us know school was out for the day and I went to go 

find Hiei. 

_Hiei's POV-_

I heard the bell sounding letting me know my fox was out of school for the weekend or for the day I should say. I watched from my tree as he came out of the school looking really sad and distant. I jumped from the tree and landed softly beside him. 

"Kurama, what's wrong? You're not yourself lately" I said. He sighed and I followed him to his house. He went in through the front door and straight up to his room to open the window for me 

to come in. He set his bag on the floor next to his bed and proceeded to sit on his bed lost in his own thoughts. 

"Fox? FOX!!" I yelled at him. He jumped and then smiled. 

"I'm sorry Hiei, I have a nagging feeling that won't go away, it's a nasty little urge I have to do" he told me as he softly kissed me. 

"What is it?" I asked him. He looked at me and blushed. 

"I need to find a vixen and mate with her Hiei... it's mating season for me" he said and my jaw dropped as I comforted him. 

"I'll help you in anyway possible Kurama, that's what I'm here for" I told him as he leaned into me. 

"Thank you Hiei, that means a lot too me" he said hugging me gently. 

_Yami's POV-_

"Maybe it's his cousin... Or, no they can't be brothers they look nothing alike." I sighed while walking down the sidewalk, trying to figure out the mystery surrounding that dark clothed boy Suuichi Minamino was always with after school. No matter who I asked, no one seemed to know who he was, and of course I could never ask Suuichi myself, he's like a God to me! That flowing red hair, those striking green eyes.... I couldn't help but wonder why he'd be so close to such a strange person who no one knew anything about. 

"Yami, hold on!" Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by my sister Rei, running up behind me with a bundle of something in her arms. 

"What's the matter?" I looked down and she held out the little ball of fur in her arms, all white with two sad blue eyes and a tiny black nose peeking out. 

"Awww! It's so cute, where did you find it?" I asked petting him gently on the head, making the baby fox cringe for a moment and tried to get away. Rei hushed him and calmed him down, where she had found him it appeared he'd bonded with her right away. 

"He was behind a trash can over there. It looks like he's hurt and there is no sign of a mother anywhere...." She said. He was much too small to be on his own, and in a suburban neighborhood it's likely his mother had gotten hit by a car, or fallen prey to some other accident. Whatever the 

case, he was all alone. 

"I'm going to take him home and look after him." She said, cuddling the baby fox and receiving a tiny yipping sound and a lick on the hand in return. "He's like an angel." 

"We should call him Tenshi." I suggested. 

"Tenshi it is" 

_Rei's POV-_

When I finally caught up to Yami I called to her to get her attention. She stopped and looked at what I had in my arms. She fawned over the little fox I had found and she started petting his head gently and he freaked out. 

"Hey, it's all right. She won't hurt you" I told him to calm him down. He settled down and Yami asked me where I found him. I pointed across the street and back a little ways. 

"Over there, he was hiding behind a trash can and he's hurt. I didn't see a mother anywhere..." I told her. I made a comment that he looked like an angel and that I was going to take him home and care for him. He liked the idea and yipped happily and licked me. She suggested we call him Tenshi and I agreed. 

_Shiori's POV-_

I sat in the living room, trying to find interest in the book I was reading but couldn't seem to concentrate. I knew my son, Suuichi was upstairs, he had just gotten home from school, and for the past week or so, he just hadn't been acting like himself. Something was preoccupying him, but no matter how many times I asked, he always told me he was fine. Perhaps he couldn't tell me, but what on earth could there be that an honest boy like Suuichi could not tell his own mother? He's very selfless, very caring, it could be that he simply didn't want to trouble me. 

I hope that whatever is wrong he can find comfort in his friends, especially the black haired boy I've seen him with. I've never mentioned it, but I see them walk home from school together everyday, and then in the blink of an eye, he's gone. I always feel that seeing him was just my imagination, as if he were a good spirit watching over us. They seem so close, but I've decided not to pry as to who he is or where he came from. I'm sure when he's ready, Suuichi will tell me, but I suspect there is more to their relationship than meets the eye. 

Though I've never been able to put my finger on it, I know there is something special about my son, he's different than the rest of us somehow. I have faith that one day, everything will be clear to me, but for now I think I must just let him work things out in his own way, I trust him to make the right choices. 

But lately I'm worried, what if he's come to face something he can't handle? I mulled things over in my head, but suddenly my train of thought was derailed by some commotion in the front yard. I set my book down on the table and pushed aside the curtains in the front window to see two girls frantically trying to get something out from under Suuichi's rose bushes. I noticed their school uniforms were that of Meiou High School, and I stepped out to see if I could help. 

"Could I help you with something, girls?" I asked from the front steps of the house. They looked up suddenly, and the taller of the two stood. 

"I'm sorry that we ran on to your lawn like this but you see, we found a little baby fox on the way home and he sort of jumped down and ran under your rose bushes so we're trying to get him out." She said, seeming embarrassed. The other girl was still kneeling, trying to coax the animal out from under the flowers. 

"Fox?" Someone said from the door, I turned to see Suuichi leaning over my shoulder, holding on to the door frame and peering at his garden. The girl's mouth dropped open and her eyes opened so wide I feared they were going to fall out. 

"M... Minamino-kun... this is... your house?" She stuttered. 

The other girl finally pulled the baby fox out from under the flower garden and stood with it in her arms. 

"Hello, Suuichi," she said. 

"Yamato-chan, Rei-chan, what are you doing here?" He asked. Then, spotting the animal the girl was holding he raced past me and on to the cold grass, still in his slippers. He leaned over and patted it on the head, and the fox seemed suddenly overjoyed, climbing up against Suuichi's chest and licking him on the face, as if they knew each other from somewhere. 

"He's injured," Suuichi said. "Where did you find him?" 

"A few blocks down the road," she said. "He was all alone." 

"Come inside and let me tend to his wounds. I know a thing or two about foxes..." 

She nodded and handed the fox kit to my son, while the other girl grabbed her arm and whispered something in her ear. They talked for a moment and then the shorter of the two grabbed her companion by the wrist and started dragging her inside after Suuichi. 

"Ha ha, oh Minamino-san you have such a pretty son, I mean house!!!" She said awkwardly, her face bright red as the three of them went inside. I smiled and closed the door behind them, then went to make tea for our two guests. 

_Kuwabara's POV-_

Another long, boring day of school was finally over. All I had left to do was go home, chill in front of the TV, and hope my sister didn't bug me too much, and maybe pick a couple of fights on the way there... I decided to take the long way home to hopefully run into some lowlife whose ass I could kick, maybe save the day for somebody getting picked on. I felt like playing the hero. I rounded the corner and noticed I was in Kurama's neighborhood, and was thinking about stopping by and saying hi, but that shrimp Hiei would probably be there... I don't know why, but that guy just doesn't like me! 

I made my way down the sidewalk, and was enjoying the walk until this crazy car came speeding by me! Some people just shouldn't be allowed to drive. Just then though, I looked ahead and saw a little grey fox dashing across the street, right in the road hog's path! 

"Hey, watch out!" I yelled, but it was too late... I heard a sickening crunch and before I could do anything, the fox was on the side of the road and the car had already sped out of sight. I ran over, hoping maybe it was still alive and I could bring it to a vet or something, but when I kneeled down, there was no doubt that it definitely hadn't survived... 

"You bastard!!" I called after the car, but whoever was driving it just swerved around the corner and never even looked back. I sat on the sidewalk and looked over the lifeless creature. From what I could tell, it was a girl, and from the looks of it, she was nursing a baby. 

"Aw man! That means some poor baby fox just lost its mom!" I said. I stood up, feeling angry and depressed that were was nothing I could do. People might think I'm just a no good street thug, but the truth is I'm a real animal lover, especially kittens. For a second I thought I might even cry, hey... Guys can have feelings too! 

If I tried to tell Urameshi about it, he'd probably just laugh and call me a wuss, what a jerk. Kurama would probably be the best person to go to, he's always good at listening to people's problems, and he's way smart on top of that. Since I was only a few blocks from his house, I shoved my hands in my pockets, took one last look at the fox vixen, and walked off. 

_Yusuke's POV-_

Another day of sweatin' my ass off under Grandma. Man, I hate training with the old hag. I had to ditch Keiko to go train with her. I almost feel sorry for Keiko, I always to ditch her to go do something for Koenma or train with Grandma... it was either that or have her drag me shopping. If there's two things I hate it's waiting and shopping, I'd rather wait then shop. Well today something strange happened, Grandma stopped me in the middle of training to tell me something was wrong with Kurama. 

"He's fine, there is nothing wrong with fox-boy," I told her. 

"Dimwit!! Believe me when I say Kurama's in trouble" Grandma said. 

"What could possibly be wrong with Kurama?" I asked her. 

"His spirit energy is usually high. It's normally calm and under control but he cannot control it" she told me. 

"That's not normal" I said. 

"I suggest you go see him soon Yusuke" she told me. 

_Keiko's POV-_

Yet again Yusuke ditched me. He said he had to train under Genkai. I think it's just an excuse not to go shopping with me. Sometimes he is just the biggest pain, I don't know how I manage to put up with him, the way he always goes running off and leaving me behind! 

"Yusuke, you jerk!" 

And yet.... Why can't I help how I feel about him? We've known each other so long, and I know he can be a nuisance and my parents don't approve, but I have a feeling Yusuke and I are going to be stuck together for a long, long time. After all, he lets me in on all his biggest secrets, I guess that counts for something? Three worlds, fighting demons, it's almost too much for a Junior High girl to handle, but I know I have to stick by him and everyone else, it's just a feeling in my gut. 

I wasn't in the mood to shop anymore, so I decided to go for a stroll in the park. The weather wasn't too cold, despite it being January, I just wished I had someone to enjoy my walk with. Just then my cell phone rang, and I was surprised to hear the last person I expected to be calling me on the line. 

"Keiko, are you still in town?" Yusuke's voice asked me over the phone. 

"Yes, why? Is something wrong?" 

"The old hag is insisting I go back, right after she called me here to train with her. She says there's something wrong with Kurama and it's urgent so, meet me there, will you?" He said. 

"Kurama? Did she say why?" 

Yusuke sounded a bit worried, it's not like him to worry about anything. 

"No, she doesn't even know, she's just bitching at me to go back. It's gonna take about an hour though considering I have to walk..." He groaned. 

"I'll go check and see if Kurama's all right and meet you at his house," I told him. 

"Thanks Keiko." 

I hung up my phone and placed it back in my purse, and turned around in the other direction towards Kurama's house. Kurama always struck me as the type to be able to take care of himself, I wondered what he could need our help with? As I made my walk down the sidewalk, I car came speeding by me and almost crashed into a fire hydrant only a few meters away from me! 

"Crazy driver, watch where you're going, you could hurt someone!" I shouted. They apparently didn't hear me though, because they just kept going and sped by the turn to Kurama's street and out of sight. 

I finally reached the street sign after getting over the shock of almost being hit by a car, there has been one too many car accidents in my life already, and I doubt I could get my life back like Yusuke managed to do! As I was about to step onto Kurama's block, I looked up to see Kuwabara coming fro the other direction, and stopped to say hello. 

::CHAPTER 2 COMING SOON!:: 


	2. Chapter 2

_Kurama's POV-_

On my way down the stairs to fetch Hiei something to eat, I heard mother talking to someone outside. I heard a girl's voice mention a fox and leaned out the door to see who was there. I saw Rei and Yamato Himura from school in the yard. Yamato-chan was talking to mother and explaining what happened and why they were there while Rei-chan was trying to coax the fox out from under my rose bush. When Rei-chan finally coaxed the fox out from under the bushes I noticed it was just a kit and ran to her. 

"Where did you find him?" I asked her. She told me she had discovered him all alone under a trash can and he started to rub up against my chest. 

"He likes, you Suuichi," Rei-chan told me. As I took the baby into my arms I noticed he was hurt, and suggested the girls come inside so I could tend to his wounds. Rei walked in beside me, but her sister seemed very nervous to enter the house, tripping over her own feet and smiling awkwardly. 

I retrieved some medicine and bandages from the bathroom, along with a salve of my own creation and sat in the living room to repair the kit's injuries. Feeling a strong connection to the somewhat distant relative I was holding in my lap, I all but forgot I had left Hiei waiting for me upstairs. 

The scent of the female fox on the kit was still very strong, and as I held him to me, the pheromones began to drive me wild. Even a mortal fox's odor was effecting me, and the urges I had been suppressing since puberty in this human body were becoming uncontrollable this year. I winced, it was difficult to maintain pleasant conversation feeling the way I did. 

_Hiei's POV-_

__

Kurama had gone downstairs to get something to eat and drink. He told me he'd be back in a couple of minutes but after a small eternity of waiting he still hadn't returned. Getting frustrated, I went and waited at the top of the stairs to see what was taking him so long. To my disgust though, he was in no way getting me anything to eat, but rather sitting contentedly in his living room with two _human_ girls. How, in the condition he was in, could that fox still find time to flirt. 

"Baka kitsune..." 

I felt somewhat annoyed, but even so, all the while I could feel Kurama's spirit fluctuating wildly. I turned and sat against the wall of the hallway, out of sight, and sighed. There was only one way to alleviate the primal instinct he had to breed, and that was a task I could not perform. Wrong species and wrong gender to ease his torment... 

_Rei's POV-_

I heard him wince as he was tending to Tenshi's wound. 

"Is something wrong, Suuichi?" He blushed. 

"No, I'm all right," he told me. 

"You don't lie well, Suuichi," I told him as Suuichi's mother came in with tea. I looked to Yami who stood there awkwardly, staring at Suuichi and told her sit down. I pulled her down and she continued to stare at him. "Yami, close your mouth, you look silly with it open," I told her as she snapped back to reality. 

"G-gomen," she apologized. 

Suuichi finished fixing Tenshi's wound as the kit laid on his lap and napped. Mrs. Minamino told him she was going to the store and that she would be back soon and he nodded. When she had left, I saw a flash of black out of the corner of my eye and suddenly there was a boy standing next to Suuichi. 

"Kurama, what happened? What is taking you so long?" he commanded. The look on Suuichi's face said that he knew he forgot about someone and handed Tenshi back to me. He quickly turned around to face the dark haired boy that looked to be about my height. 

"Gomen Hiei, I heard mother talking to a couple of classmates who had found an injured kit and I offered to help them," he told him as he touched his face gently. Yami looked just as shocked as I did to see this display of affection. 

"Kurama, who are these people?" he asked Suuichi. 

"Hiei, these are my school mates. The one holding the kit is Rei-chan and this is her sister Yamato-chan. Ladies, this is my lover Hiei," he said, introducing us. 

"Hn," was all he could say. 

"Hiei, don't be so rude" he told him. 

"You're the boy who always waits for Suuichi after school!" Yami exclaimed suddenly, pointing at him. "You two are lovers!?" She looked about ready to burst, she's obsessed with shounen-ai couples and appeared to have hit the jackpot. 

"Tell them to stop calling you that Kurama, I hate that name..." He said, glaring at my sister. 

"Hiei's a bit antisocial..." Suuichi said, apologizing for his partner's rudeness. 

"Why does he keep calling you Kurama?" I questioned, looking over the boy who stood protectively over our school mate and continued to glare hostily at us. 

Suuichi looked back and forth at us for a moment, his mouth slightly open, apparently not knowing what to say. 

"Hiei, could I speak with you for a moment?" He said, standing. "Excuse me, girls." Suuichi pulled him into the hallway and Yami and I were left wondering what was going on. 

_Yami's POV-_

Though I knew it was wrong, that dark haired boy was of too much interest to me not to pass up listening in on their conversation. I couldn't believe, after all the thought I had put into wondering who Kurama's strange friend was, I had never considered the fact that he was hiding a romance from the other students! 

I rose from my chair, sneaking quietly towards the hall. 

"Yami, what are you doing?" Rei asked, petting Tenshi gently while she held him in her lap. I held up my finger to shush her and she shook her head, sighing. She probably figured I would be getting myself into trouble again, I was too curious for my own good. 

I paused by the edge of the room and nearly held my breath to hear what they were saying, they were keeping their voices so low, I had to concentrate as much as I could to make out the words. 

"Why did you come down here, I asked you to wait," came Suuichi's voice. 

"You forgot about me, I'm hungry." 

"Well now you've raised questions that I won't be able to answer, I go to school with these girls, it's not as if I'll never see them again." 

"Adolescent females, just lie to them. They'll never know the difference." 

I blinked, what a little jerk! Talking down to us like that... I would have been angrier if I hadn't been so intent on eavesdropping. 

"I lie enough as it is, it pains me to have to keep up false tendencies with everyone I meet, especially to my own mother." 

"You're the one who blurted out we were lovers, why are you getting angry at me." That last statement came out as more of an accusation than a question. What were they talking about? Why was Suuichi acting like his whole life was a lie, did he have some secret he kept from everyone? 

"I'm not thinking straight, you can obviously tell that." Suuichi sighed and I could hear him sink down against the wall and come to rest on the floor. "What a mess I've gotten myself in to... My hormones are raging, I can barely concentrate on what I'm saying, it just keeps getting worse. My spirit's instincts mixing with my human blood is driving my body insane, I've been walking around school with my books over my groin for the past week hoping no one will notice." 

Now I was really interested, what on earth was Suuichi talking about!? It sounded like the calm, straight A student I thought I knew was actually some kind of sex maniac. 

"I want to help... But at least you can find comfort knowing it will go away in a few months." 

"And then next year will be even worse.... I need to get it out of my system now. Perhaps Koenma would bid me leave to the Makai so I could find someone, anyone to mate with. I'm not picky at the moment." 

"Hn..." There was a pause. 

"What are you staring at?" I heard Suuichi ask. 

"You really are a mess right now, aren't you." 

"What?" 

"You haven't realized one of those ningen girls has been listening the whole time?" 

Uh oh... How did that little guy know I was there!? Suuichi shot around the corner and gaped down at me. I stood and bit my lip nervously. I had the bad feeling that when I thought I had only been innocently eavesdropping, I had actually been hearing something extremely private that no one but the dark haired boy was meant to hear. I had probably offended Suuichi beyond ever liking me, now... 

"Hiei, why didn't you say something before letting me carry on like that!" 

"I didn't think it was of any consequence." 

Suuichi shook his head and held his face in his hands for a moment, trying to regain his composure. He ran his fingers back through his hair and looked at my sister and I firmly. 

"I can see no way out of this, so you must promise to keep what I am about to tell you to yourselves." 

_Shiori's POV-_

As I carried the groceries home from my quick trip to the convenience store, I thought of Suuichi and the pained look that had been on his face all day. I would expect him to be happy to see friends from school, but then again, he wasn't like other boys. Instead he appeared distant, uncomfortable. I wished I knew what was plaguing my son, and prayed he would be able to handle it while leaving me out of the loop. 

He knew that I knew he had something to hide, yet be never speak of it. I love him too much to probe, and I suspects he loves me too much to hurt me with the truth. It's hard for a mother to know there are secrets her child can't tell her, but all I can do is wait, I suppose. 

As I stepped up on the front step of our house, I saw a tall boy and young girl standing on the corner talking. I recognized them as Suuichi's friends, perhaps we were having more visitors? When I entered the house, Suuichi was looking tense, and that dark friend of his was there in the living room. I was shocked to say the least, to see the impish face I had caught in the corner of my eye so many times, whole before me. What had happened while I was gone? My son shot me an urgent glance, and I could almost hear him begging, 'No questions, mother, please.' I nodded and accepted, silently going to the kitchen to put the groceries away, I don't think the girls even noticed me, although I know the black haired boy did. I wonder what he thought of me, knowing I had finally caught him in the flesh. 

_Kurama's POV-_

I informed the girls that what I was about to the them they had to keep to themselves, and they agreed. Hiei gave me a doubting look as I led them outside so mother wouldn't hear what I had to say. I feel bad for keeping secrets from her but it would kill her to know that I'm a demon in a human body. 

When I had their word that they would not say anything to anyone I started my story. I drew in a deep breath and began. "Sixteen years ago I came to Earth with what was left of my spirit energy after I had become injured during a botched burglary. I was a fox spirit, and a thief by trade. I became a human son to my mother Shiori, my human father died years ago. My other name is Kurama, that is what Hiei calls me along with Yusuke Urameshi and his friend Kuwabara, whom you already know by infamy I'm sure. My mother doesn't even know about this and she is to never know. Is that perfectly understood? The only other human I have trusted with this information is Yusuke, and now you girls know as well, please do NOT tell anyone," I begged them. 

Rei-chan nodded that she would keep my secret and we both looked to her sister for an answer. 

"I-I promise," she stammered. 

I nodded my thanks and went back inside. "Suuichi?" I heard Rei-chan call to me. I turned around to face her. 

"Thank you for your help with Tenshi, I hope you don't mind if I bring him by to visit sometime. He took a liking to you," she told me. "I would love that" I told her as I headed through the door and the girls made their departure, obviously shaken. 

_Rei's POV-_

__

Suuichi made us swear we would never reveal his secret and we agreed. He started his story and I felt my jaw drop at everything he had to say. I couldn't believe our lovable straight A student was a spirit demon who had been covering his true identity for sixteen years as a human. I'm not sure how Yami took it, but I know I was surprised. 

As he finished his story he could see how shocked we were. As he turned and walk into the house I called out to him. "Suuichi, wait." 

He turned around and looked at me. "Hai?" he asked. 

"I wanted to thank you for tending to Tenshi. I was wondering if it was okay with you if I brought him over sometime. He really likes you and I don't want him to feel so lonely," I told him. He nodded and went inside. 

I pulled Yami along to go home as Tenshi whine for Suuichi, missing him already. 

"Shh, baby; it's all right. We'll come back soon so you can visit with him," I told the baby fox as I hugged him close to me. I turned again to see Suuichi looking out the window at us sadly. I nodded to him to reassure him his secret was safe and he left the window when he knew it was okay to do so. 

_Hiei's POV-_

I think I surprised Kurama with the fact that I knew one of those ningen girls was listening to our conversation. His natural sensory abilities were suffering badly, he couldn't even smell a presence merely a meter away. 

When he started talking to them to tell them his biggest secret I gave him a doubting look. As far as I knew, Yusuke was the only resident of this world that knew of Kurama's past, and though ningen, he had honor. What did these girls know of true loyalty? He assured me, though, that it was okay and that he could trust these ningens with his secret. I hoped his ability to judge character was not suffering as well... 

His mother returned from the store suddenly and caught me standing next to her son. Kurama gave her a look that begged her not to ask any questions about why I was there or what was going on. I could see the surprise on her features but really didn't care. I know she's seen me walking with him and she probably cannot figure out where I go when he walks in the front door. I think she was astonished to see me there, actually, her so called 'good spirit'. I'd read her mind on occasion when I was sure she had seen me, to unravel the mystery of why my fox adored this woman the way he did. Never knowing my own mother, perhaps that type of love is beyond me.... 

But I accepted her, I had no choice. I didn't question her either seeing how it was her house, and even I know to respect someone when in their territory. She is allowing Kurama to share her home until he is old enough to leave and that's not long at all, I can wait a few more years... I think. 

Kurama stepped back inside and I was trying to figure out if these girls could truly be trusted when I saw him look out the window at them, almost longingly. When he got a sign of approval from one of them he stepped away from the window and brought me back upstairs to avoid answering his mother's questions. He sat down on the bed, and I could tell he was distraught... but what bothered me most was, after all that, he still hadn't remembered to feed me! 

_Kuwabara's POV-_

"I hope Kurama's home..." I mumbled. Then something started to bother me, as I got closer to his house, I started to feel these weird energy fluctuations, like something was going haywire. I was so focused on the crazy signals that I didn't even notice Keiko standing right next to me for like, five minutes. 

"Kuwabara! Hello!" She waved her hand in front of my face and I snapped back to reality. 

"Woah! Hey Keiko, sorry about that," I said, feeling kind of stupid for staring off into nowhere like that. 

"It's ok," she said, smiling. Yusuke's girlfriend, she's pretty cute, but don't even think I like her or anything. Yukina is the ONLY girl for me, and besides, Yusuke'd kick my ass if he thought I was flirting with Keiko! We're just friends, so nobody had better get any funny ideas... 

"You looked pretty spaced out just now," she said. "Are you getting one of your feelings again?" 

"Yeah..." I said, looking over at Kurama's house again. "Something's up." 

"Yusuke just told me the same thing over the phone, he's coming back from Genkai's already and meeting me at Kurama's house." 

"That's where I was headed!" I said. So I was right, something WAS wrong with Kurama. But he's tough, even though he is kind of girly sometimes... Just don't tell him I said that. So what could possibly be wrong with Kurama? 

"Well let's go together then," I said. "There are some crazy drivers out today, and it's my job as the great Kazuma Kuwabara to protect a girl in need!" I shouted, but when I held out my arm for her to grab on to, Keiko was already halfway down the sidewalk! 

"Hey, Keiko, wait up!!" 


	3. Chapter 3

_Yusuke's POV-_

There I was, Yusuke Urameshi, Spirit Detective of earth, close personal friends with the Grim Reaper herself, and no money for the freaking bus. It had been an hour and I was still trudging through the stupid woods because stupid old hag Genkai held me up for another stupid 10 minutes to get some stupid medicine for stupid Kurama. Ah... What am I saying, Kurama's not stupid, just annoying the heck out of me because I had no idea what was going on! 

Guess I shouldn't complain that much... What is it they say, A friend in need is a friend indeed? Well whatever, I just wished I didn't have to walk all the way back to town without a clue what I was going for. Keiko was probably pissed at me too. Can't a guy catch a break? 

As I walked though, I wondered what could be wrong with Kurama. He had never been sick before, as far as I knew. Maybe this was some weird demon thing I knew nothing about. Or maybe Hiei finally lost control and let loose his darkness attack during rough sex. Yeah I'm a pervert I know, but it's no secret those two are sleeping together. I found it kind of weird myself... Two of my teammates being bed buddies and all. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just that weird feeling you get when two of your friends start dating, you're happy for them, but it changes things somehow. Of course I never did have many friends, but still. 

Reminiscing on my time as a detective and the whole 'two of my best friends are demon lovers' thing, I kind of forgot how pissed I was about the whole situation. In fact, before I knew it, I was halfway through town, almost to Kurama's neighborhood. Hopefully Keiko was there waiting for me and she didn't go all "Yusuke you jerk!" and go home to make a voodoo doll of me or something. Yeah, our relationship is kind of weird... But, I mean, I've known her my whole life, there's something about her... Wait, what the hell am I saying!? I'm getting all lovey dovey romantic like Kuwabara! Thinking like Kuwabara... NOT allowed to happen. I tried to get the Kuwabara vibe out of my head and as far away as possible as I made my way down the sidewalk to Kurama's. 

_Hiei's POV-_

__

Still no food... I supposed it could be understood though, Kurama was preoccupied. In such an impaired state, he could not even managed to talk his way out of telling those girls his secret. I was sure this would lead to chaos, though no one would believe them if they did tell. 

Kurama sat on his bed, quietly thinking to himself, most likely of some way to find a mate, but kitsune are rather hard to come by in the Ningenkai. I hate seeing him like this, and I don't doubt that those ningen girls will tell Kurama's secret. Although the shorter one seemed trustworthy, her sister appeared a bit flighty. 

"Hiei? What are you thinking about?" Kurama asked me. I had apparently been staring at the wall, lost in thought even more than he was. 

"How well you trust those girls. I think one may keep the secret... but not the other one." I told him. I glared out the window, wondering how far from the house they had gotten. "You must have noticed the way that tall girl stared at you, I have no doubt she will babble the new news of the beautiful Suuichi to all her friends once she gets the chance," I huffed. 

He held out his arms to me and I went and sat beside him on the bed. He pulled me onto his lap and buried his face in my back, sighing sadly. I would rather not be babied, but if he finds comfort in cuddling then I have no objections. I rested my hands lightly on his shoulders, staring blankly ahead. I do not enjoy helplessness, but there was nothing I could do. 

"Kurama, I'm trying to figure something out for you. I'm just drawing a blank. I wish I could..." I paused, suddenly too disappointed with myself to continue. He sighed again a little sadder than before. 

"I'm sorry Hiei," he told me, as if it were his fault that I could not help him. 

I turned slightly to look in his emerald eyes. 

"Don't be sorry Kurama, I'll find a way to help you somehow...." I told him sadly. 

_Shiori's POV-_

I watched out the window while my son spoke with his two classmates, telling them something that clearly shocked the life out of them. I sighed and turned away, sitting at the table with a cup of tea, though I was not truly interested in drinking any. Apparently those girls had stumbled upon the secret he had gone to such great lengths to hide from me. Could he be doing it to protect me? Was it something that, if I knew, why world would come shattering down around me? 

I supposed I could storm upstairs, swing open his bedroom door and demand to know what was going on... But Suuichi doesn't deserve that kind of treatment. He has always been such a good boy, he's never given me a reason not to trust him, and just let things be, even if it pains me to do so. He goes out of his way to be helpful though, as if he is trying to make up for whatever this secret is he cannot tell me. 

I mulled things over. It must involve that dark haired boy. Those piercing red eyes... There was simply something about his face that told me he was not human. I had been told many stories when I was a little girl, of imps and demons that lived in another world, and came to earth to cause mischief and chaos. I suddenly believed them all to be true, I had just witness the characters from my childhood bedtime stories materialized and whole in my own living room. Perhaps I was overreacting, letting my imagination run away with me, but in all my life I had never seen a face quite like his... 

_Kurama's POV-_

I sat holding Hiei knowing how much he hated being babied, but he allowed me to do so despite his likely discomfort. I just needed someone to hold.... I continued to sigh and wonder where I could find a mate. The predicament tumbled through my mind and I growled softly, causing Hiei to jump. He turned to look at me. 

"Fox, what's wrong?" he asked. 

I sighed again and spoke, "I hate mating season, it is getting harder for me to concentrate on my schoolwork and I'm falling way behind. I know mother will be disappointed if I don't bring my grades up soon. Maybe when mating season is over I'll be able to concentrate again..." 

Hiei sat and listened to my complaints, stroking one of my side locks gently and never once asking me to cease my babble. He's a demon of few words, but he does know how to listen. 

"I'm at a loss and I hate not knowing what to do," I continued. "I need to find a vixen NOW!!!" My outburst startled him slightly, but he only kept stroking my hair gently. 

"Damn this mating season... I'm beginning to wish I wasn't a fox.... I wonder how much longer I'll be able to endure this torment." 

Hiei shifted and suddenly started kissing me, probing his tongue hungrily into my mouth. I broke the kiss quickly, knowing mother was right downstairs to hear everything if things became out of hand. "Wait Hiei," I said as I stood up. I went over and locked my door and went back to him. As I sat back on the bed Hiei pushed me down on the mattress and started unbuttoning my shirt, immediately grabbing for my pants when he had tossed that aside. He moved his hands over my chest, licking down my torso and before I knew what happened, he had me on my stomach, thrusting into me with no warning and trying to get me to climax with him. 

"HIEI!!" I rolled onto my back and pushed him away roughly. He backed off, obviously confused. Though I'm sure he had the best intentions, rough sex was not going to ease my longing... 

However, despite my annoyance, the injured look on his little face pained me greatly and I frantically apologized. "H-Hiei, I'm sorry. I-I can't; not while I'm in this state of needing to mate... I'm so sorry, sex alone can't take this urge away," I told him and I looked off into the corner, slightly ashamed that I had rejected his advance. 

"Kurama, look at me," he demanded. I slowly turned my head but kept my eyes cast downwards. He climbed back up on the bed and kneeled before me, gently tilting my chin up. "I understand... I was trying to help, I'm sorry I couldn't even do that," He said as he stood. He pulled his pants and tunic back on quickly and was at my window in a second, ready to leave. 

"Hiei, where are you going?" I asked him. 

"To find you a vixen, so you can start concentrating again..." he said as he left. 

_Rei's POV-_

As Yami and I walked home I noticed she kept shaking her head at what Suuichi had told us. I turned to go into our house, but she kept walking right past it. 

"Yami?" I said. No answer. "YAMI!!!" I yelled and she turned around suddenly. 

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Rei," she said as she came up on the porch. 

"You're still thinking about what Suuichi told us aren't you?" I asked as I unlocked the door and went in with her behind me. She nodded and sat down at the table to try to work on homework. I went into the kitchen and set Tenshi down and washed my hands to prepare supper. I pulled out some soy burgers and cooked them up for Yami and I. While I was cooking Tenshi was at my feet whining that he was hungry. 

"Hold on baby, let me make this first and I will get you a bottle," I told him. 

I don't really know much about foxes and I wasn't sure what he would need to eat... I should've asked Suuichi while we were at his house. He most likely would have told me milk though, seeing as how Tenshi didn't look more than a month old. Poor little guy, I felt so bad for him. No mother to take care of him and he really wanted to stay with Suuichi for some reason. I don't know what Mrs. Minamino would have said about him having a baby fox in the house, though. I would rather have him stay with me of course. I've overprotective, I know, but I felt like a mother to him already. 

I took Yami's dinner to her and went back into the kitchen to warm up a bottle for Tenshi. I carried him into the living room, held him close to me and nuzzled into his fur as he drank his milk. When he finished I put him down and went to the kitchen to wash dishes and eat the burger I had made for myself. As I grabbed my food Tenshi was at the back door whining to go outside. I opened the door and he bolted outside to take care of his business. When he was finished he came back in and followed me around the house. I went upstairs to my bedroom and sat down to start my homework but had to stop when he started whining to get on the bed. I picked him up and set him up on the bed with his own blanket. He licked my hand and fell asleep. 

While I watched Tenshi sleep, I wondered how Suuichi was holding up. I had noticed him acting funny lately, but I didn't want to mention it to him... I wouldn't want to cause an uncomfortable situation for either of us. I was also embarrassed by what Yami did while we were at Suuichi's house. She needs to learn to let people have their privacy. One thing came out of it though, we learned a secret about the top student of Meiou High that nobody could ever have imagined. I just hoped Yami could keep it.... 

_Keiko's POV-_

__

__Kuwabara stood at my side as we stepped onto the Minamino's front step and I rang the doorbell. Kurama's mother answered. I had never met her before, but I was surprised to see how young and pretty she looked for her age. 

"Is Suuichi home?" I asked, remembering to call him by his human name. I don't really know Kurama very well, and I don't think Hiei has ever even said a word to me. From what Yusuke has told me though, they are very much in love, although they keep their relationship fairly private. 

"Yes, he's up in his room but he isn't feeling very well right now," Mrs. Minamino told us. "Should I tell him you stopped by?" 

"Uh, this is really important though!" Kuwabara butted in, stepping up on the front stoop and nearly knocking me off. I know he means well, but he can be a clumsy person sometimes.... 

"Well all right, I'll go tell him he has guests. What are your names?" She requested. 

"I'm Keiko Ukimura and this is--" 

"Kazuma Kuwabara, and it is a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Kuwabara said, bowing politely to her. She smiled, looking a tiny bit overwhelmed by our orange haired friend. She went into the house and up the stairs, and returned a few minutes with a frazzled looking Kurama by her side. 

"I was told this was important," he said. I blinked, Kurama always had such a friendly tone to his voice, but he didn't sound very happy to see us at all. 

"Yusuke sent me to see you," I told him. "He's on his way back from Genkai's right now." 

"I see, Master Genkai most likely knows of my..." He glanced over at his mother who knowingly smiled and left the room, seeing as she was intruding on the conversation. "My predicament," he finished. 

"Predicament, what the heck does that mean?" Kuwabara said, scratching his head through his curly hair. 

"Please, join me in my room," Kurama instructed, and walked back up the stairs to his bedroom. He pulled out chairs for Kuwabara and myself, and sat down on his bed, sighing deeply. When he told us exactly what his problem though, I was almost blown away! 

_Kuwabara's POV-_

When Kurama walked downstairs with his mom, a totally wild spirit signal filled the room, something I had never felt before, it was crazy! Something was very wrong. I had to keep from yelling something because his mom was right in the room and I don't think she knows about him being a fox spirit and everything. 

He led us upstairs to his room and sat on the bed. This was definitely not the Kurama I was used too, even his hair looked messed up, and usually it's brushed perfectly. He glanced out the window for a second like he was expecting to see something important out there and then turned back. 

"This may be difficult for you to grasp, but I am feeling very uncomfortable right now as it is mating season. You most likely sensed the rise in my spirit energy when you came inside, Kuwabara. I'm afraid I cannot control it right now," he told us. His eyes looked so sad.... 

"Wait, mating season? But I thought only animals had that kind of cycle," Keiko said. She looked really puzzled, and I have to admit, I was kind of confused myself. 

"I am an animal spirit after all," Kurama said, smiling slightly. It wasn't really a happy smile though. "The urge to mate is not silenced by my having a human body. It's more powerful this year than it has been any other year since I was reborn." He moved around uncomfortably and pulled a pillow into his lap like he was trying to cover something up. 

"So... What does that mean exactly?" Keiko asked shyly, although I think she was getting the same idea I was about the whole thing. 

"To put it bluntly, Keiko, I need to find a female fox to have sex with or I will be in this condition for a few more months. I would rather not have to go through with that." 

Keiko's whole face turned red when he had finished talking. That's one thing about Kurama, he's always really direct, it's like nothing embarrasses him. He kinda tends to give too much information talking like that, though.... 

"Happy you decided to come invade my privacy now?" Kurama asked when he saw our reactions. That surprised me even more though, Kurama's never rude! 

"Hey, we're just trying to help, you know!" I told him. He brought his hand up to his face and shook his head. 

"I'm sorry, please forgive me. I'm feeling very irritable right now, I didn't mean to take it out on the two of you," he said, sighing. 

"I'll call Yusuke and tell him not to come," Keiko said, and she pulled her cellphone out of her purse. 

"No, it's all right. He deserves to know as well," Kurama said. 

Just then the window burst open and there was a flash of black. Before I even knew what was happening, that shrimp Hiei was standing on Kurama's bed glaring at us. He snarled so his creepy little fangs were showing, making Keiko look like she was about to have a heart attack or something. 

"What are THEY doing here?" He growled. Something told me we might have picked a bad time to stop by.... 


End file.
